Apparatus for bending wire articles



Dec. 6, 1960 c. J. SMITH 2,963,048

. APPARATUS FOR BENDING WIRE ARTICLES Filed May 24, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 W1? 3 4 44% fig? C. J- SMITH APPARATUS FOR BENDING WIRE ARTICLES Dec. 6, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 24, 1954 EMMA IN VEN TOR. V (kw/26a ffmlfi/ QZW/M by:

1 1960 c. J. SMITH APPARATUS FOR BENDING WIRE ARTICLES Filed May 24, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Dec. 6, 1960 c. J. SMITH 2,963,048

APPARATUS FOR BENDING WIRE ARTICLES Filed May 24, 1954 4 Sheet S-Sheet 4 IN V EN TOR.

United States Patent APPARATUS FOR BENDING WIRE ARTICLES Clarence J. Smith, Rockford, Ill., assignor, by mesne assignments, to W. F. and John Barnes Company, Rockford, III., a corporation of Illinois Filed May 24, 1954, Ser. No. 431,804

12 Claims. (Cl. 140-71) The present invention relates to a novel apparatus for bending wire articles and more particularly to a novel apparatus for undulating or bending wir'e stock into a zigzag shape.

Devices heretofore known for making zigzag wire articles have included a pair of rotatable gear-like members with radially extending teeth, which teeth mesh with each other to bend wire stock passed therebetween. While such devices have been generally satisfactory for some purposes, the speed with which wire stock may be bent or undulated is unduly limited since only one or two pairs of the radially extending teeth are actively engaged in bending the wire at any one time. Furthermore, the use of such radially extending teeth imparts rather severe restrictions on the depth and sharpness of undulations that may be formed in a wire. It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel apparatus capable of overcoming the above mentioned disadvantages of prior art devices and, more particularly, a novel apparatus by which wire stock may be relatively sharply and deeply undulated at an increased rate of speed.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel apparatus for bending or undulating wire stock into a zigzag shape, which apparatus is of relatively simple and economical construction and is highly efiicient in operation.

Still another object of the present invention is to'provide a novel apparatus of the above described type which is adapted rapidly and continuously to receive and retain wire stock in predetermined position so that the wire stock may be acted upon by bending elements.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a novel Wire bending apparatus having a pair of cooperating rotatable means with bending teeth elements thereon, which rotatable means and bending elements are arranged so that a number of pairs of bending elements are actively engaged in bending the wire stock at one time whereby the rate of operation may be materially increased.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of an apparatus embodying the features of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary end elevational view of an apparatus embodying the features of this invention;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a somewhat diagrammatic cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 3 and showing the structure in greater detail;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing a pair of cooperating bending elements or teeth of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2; 1

'Fig. 8 is an end view of one of the wire bending elements or teeth;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of a section of wire formed by the apparatus of this invention;

Fig. 10 is an end elevational view illustrating a slightly modified form of the present invention;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical cross-sectiona-l view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a somewhat diagrammatic fragmentary crosssectional view taken along line 12--12 in Fig. 10;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view somewhat similar to Fig. 11 and showing still another modified form of the present invention; and

Fig. 14 is a somewhat diagrammatic cross-sectional view taken along line 1414 in Fig. 13.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings wherein like parts are designated by the same numerals throughout the various figures, an apparatus 20 embodying the principles of this invention is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. This apparatus includes a frame or base 22 on which a pair of spaced opposed pedestals 24 and 26 is mounted. The upper ends of the pedestals are respectively provided with bearing members 28 and 30 having axes arranged at an angle to each other and shafts 32 and 34 are respectively journaled in these bearing members. A wire bending assembly 36 is keyed or otherwise rigidly connected to the shaft 32 and a cooperating wire bending assembly 38 is similarly fixed on the shaft 34.

Referring particularly to Figs. 2 and 3, it is seen that the bending assembly 36 includes a disk or wheel 40 and a gear 42. The assembly 38 also includes a disk or wheel 44 and a gear 46. In order to drive the bending assemblies, the gears 42 and 46 respectively mesh with pinions 48 and 50 keyed to a shaft 52. The shaft 52 is driven by means of a motor 54 through a chain 56 which encircles sprocket wheels 58 and 60.

In accordance with an important feature of this invention, the wheels or disks 40 and 44 are rotated in angularly disposed planes whereby portions of the wheels are moved into and out of juxtaposition and a number of Wire bending elements or teeth which will be described below are simultaneously moved into cooperating relationship to progressively bend the wire. As shown best in Figs. 3 and 6, the wheel or disk 40 is provided with an annular generally axially extending and outwardly flaring rim 62, which rim may be extended by a ring 64 secured thereto with screws 66. The ring 64 extends into an annular recess 68 formed around the periphery of the wheel or disk 44 and is radially spaced from a generally axially and outwardly flaring wire supporting surface 70 of the recess. The supporting surface 70 is preferably extended beneath the rim 62 by securing a ring 72 to the disk or wheel 44 by a plurality of screws 74. As will become apparent from the description hereinbelow, a wire to be bent is inserted between the support surface 70 and a retaining surface 76 provided by the rim 62 and ring 64 so that the wire is positively confined while being acted upon by bending elements or fingers.

In order to bend a wire inserted between the rotatable disks, a series of bending elements or teeth 78 is provided on the wheel or disk 44 and a series of similar teeth 80 is provided on the wheel or disk 40. As shown best in Figs. 5, 7 and 8, each of the bending teeth 78 includes a dovetailed body portion 82 which is adapted to fit into a complementary slot 84 formed in the support surface 70 on the wheel 44 and ring 72. A tapering finger element 86 extends above the body portion 82 and above the support surface 70 for bending engagement with the wire. In order to retain the bending teeth 78 in the slots 84, a covering ring 88 is secured to the face of the ring 72 to close the ends of the slots. The bending teeth 80 are substantially identical to the teeth 78 and are mounted in slots 90 formed in the surface 76 provided by the rim 62 and ring 64. Another covering ring 92 is secured to the face of the ring 64 for retaining the bending teeth 80.

In operation of the apparatus20, a length of wire stock 94- is directed through a suitable guide 96 and inserted between the surfaces 70 and 76 on the rotatable wheels. If desired, the wire may first be passed through a plurality of rollers 98 to maintain a predetermined tension therein. As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the wire is inserted between the surfaces 70 and 76 at a point 106 which is slightly in advance of a point where the bending teeth 78 and 8t) first move into meshing and wire bending association with each other. Upon rotation of the wheels 48 and 44, the wire is gripped between a pair of bending teeth 78 and 80 and drawn along therewith. As the wheels continue to rotate in their respective inclined planes, the bending teeth 78 and 80 are progressively advanced toward each other so that the wire is progressively formed into a zigzag shape in the manner illustrated best in Fig. 4, which zigzag wire may have relatively long transverse sections 102 joined by relatively sharply bent portions 184. It should be especially noted that a considerable number of pairs of bending teeth 78 and '80 are simultaneously operating to bend the wire whereby the wire may be bent in progressive steps thereby facilitating high speed operation. This result is accomplished by the particular arrangement of the rotatable wheels or disks and their respective generally axially extending bending teeth. As will be understood, the result of this arrangement is somewhat similar to the meshing engagement of the plurality of teeth obtained between an internal or ring gear and a cooperating bevelled gear. As the wire is progressively formed between the teeth '78 and 80, it is stretched and cold-worked whereby the strength of relatively soft wire may be increased during the bending operation. The undulated or zigzag wire is withdrawn from the bending apparatus and passed around a guide roller 106 from where it may be directed to a receiving reel, not shown. Alternatively, the undulated wire may be directed from the guide roller 106 to additional forming or processing apparatus. For example, the zigzag wire may be utilized for non-sag springs and thus it may be directed from the apparatus 20 to suitable means for cutting it into springs of the desired length. In addition, the zigzag wire may be further processed to form wire inserts for automobile tires and, therefore, the wire may be directed from the guide roller 106 to suitable tire insert processing apparatus, not shown.

In Figs. 10, 11 and 12, there is illustrated an apparatus 110 which embodies a slightly modified form of the present invention. The apparatus 118 is essentially the same as the apparatus 20 described above as indicated by identical numerals applied to identical elements and the only substantial difference in the apparatus 110 is found in the form of the wire bending elements. Thus, the fixed wire bending teeth 78 and 80 of the apparatus 20 have been replaced in this embodiment by reciprocable tooth or bending elements 112 and 114. As shown best in Figs. 11 and 12, each bending element or tooth 114 is in the form of an elongated bar slidably mounted for generally axial movement in suitable slots formed in the gear 2 and wheel or disk 40. At one end the bar is formed with a tapered bending finger 116 and at the opposite end the bar is bifurcated as at 118 and rotatably carries a roller 120. The tooth member 114 is provided with a slot 122 into which a screw 124 extends for limiting the reciprocating movement of the tooth. Any suitable spring means may be provided for resiliently biasing each tooth 114 away from the cooperating teeth 112 and a cam 126 is provided for engaging the roller 120 and moving the tooth members 114 toward the teeth 112. In the particular embodiment illustrated, the spring means is in the form of a compression spring 128 disposed within a slot in the tooth member 114 and acting between the tooth member and an abutment member 130 fixed to the wheel 40 and projecting into the slot. The tooth members 112 are substantially identical to the teeth 114 and need not be described in detail. Thus, it suffices to say that the tooth members 112 carry rollers 132 for engagement with a fixed cam 134 to actuate them toward the teeth 114 and suitable spring means is provided for yieldably biasing the teeth 112 away from the teeth 114.

The operation of the apparatus is essentially identical to the operation of the apparatus 20 except that it should be noted that the apparatus 110 may provide even sharper tapered undulations in the wire because of the reciprocable movement of the bending teeth. Furthermore, the apparatus 110 may be adjusted to vary the depth of the undulations formed in the wire. This may be accomplished by adjusting the position of the cams 126 and 134 toward or away from their associated bending fingers. Thus, as shown best in Fig. 10, the cam 126 is carried by an arm 136 which is pivotally supported as at 138 to the pedestal 24 and a set screw 140 is mounted on the pedestal for positively locating the cam 126 in the desired position. The cam 134 is similarly carried by an arm 142 pivotally mounted as at 144 to the pedestal 26 and a set screw 146 is provided for positioning the cam 134.

In Figs. 13 and 14, there is illustrated still another slightly modified form of the present invention which difiers from the structures described above only in the form of the bending elements or teeth. Thus, in this embodiment, wire bending elements 148 and 150 have been substituted for the above described teeth 78, 80, 112 and 114. As shown best in Fig. 14, each of the bending elements 150 is in the form of a lever pivotally mounted by a pin 152 to the wheel 40 and have angularly disposed fingers 154 and 156. The finger 154 is adapted to engage and bend the wire when the bending element is rotated in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 14 and the finger 156 projects for engagement with a fixed actuating cam 158. A suitable wire spring 160 acts between the wheel 40 and the finger 156 for yieldably biasing the bending elements 150 in a clockwise direction and to an inoperative position. The bending elements 148 similarly are in the form of levers pivotally mounted on a wheel 44 by pins 162 and having angularly disposed fingers 164 and 166. A cam 168 is provided for actuating the bending elements 148 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 14 and a spring 170 is provided for yieldably biasing the bending elements 148 in a counterclockwise direction. With this structure, the wire bending fingers 154 and 164 in effect measure and bend a predetermined length of the wire without stretching the wire substantially. This is often important when tempered wire is being formed. The bending elements 148 and 150 may also be utilized to form undulations having varying degrees of depth and sharpness and this is accomplished by supporting the cams 158 and 168 for adjustment toward and away from their associated bending elements. Thus, the cam 158 is mounted by a bifurcated bracket 171 to an arm 172 which may be adjustably connected to the pedestal 24 by suitable means, not shown. The cam 168 is similarly mounted to an adjustable arm 174 by a bifurcated bracket 176. If desired, the embodiment shown in Figs. 13 and 14 may be modi' fied by lengthening the cams 158 and 168 whereby several of the bending elements 148 and 158 may be simultaneously actuated to progressively form the wire.

From the above description, it is seen that the present invention has provided a novel apparatus whereby straight wire stock may be rapidly and economically formed with relatively deep and sharp undulations. More specifically, it is seen that the present invention has provided a pair of endless support members or rotatable wheels which are arranged so that bending elements or teeth thereon are moved generally axially of the wheels and into wire bending meshing relationship as the wheels are rotated and this meshing relationship is maintained for a considerable portion of the endless paths of travel of the bending teeth so that the wire may be progressively formed. In addition, it is seen that with the novel structure of this invention, the wire stock may be easily inserted between the opposed rotatable wheels and positively retained while it is being acted upon by the bending elements.

While the preferred embodiments of the present inventoin have been illustrated and described herein, it is obvious that many structural details may be changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. An apparatus for undulating wire stock comprising first and second generally axially confronting rotatable means, means mounting said first and second rotatable means for rotation about axes inclined at an obtuse angle with respect to each other and intersecting each other at a point located between generally axially confronting ends of said rotatable means which are disposed at a predetermined angle with respect to each other, said point of intersection further being located in a plane bisecting said angle between said confronting ends, said first and second rotatable means including first opposing circumferential portions of said confronting ends disposed immediately adjacent each other and intersecting said plane and second opposed circumferential portions of said confronting ends respectively diametrically opposite from said first portions spaced laterally from opposite sides of said plane, a series of cooperable bending elements circumferentially spaced on each of said rotatable means, the elements on each rotatable means projecting generally axially toward said end of the other rotatable means in a direction flaring outwardly and inclined with respect to the axes of their associated rotatable means at an angle complementary to the angle between said axis for enabling the bending elements on said first portion to move generally axially into and out of meshing relationship upon rotation of said rotatable means, and means for rotating said rotatable means in predetermined timed relationship.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said bending elements are fixed on their respective rotatable means.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said bending elements are movably mounted on their respective rotatable means, and which apparatus includes means for moving the bending elements relative to their respective rotatable means and into meshing relationship with each other.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said bending elements are reciprocably mounted on said rotatable means.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said bending elements are pivotally mounted on said rotatable elements.

6. An apparatus for undulating wire stock comprising first and second generally axially confronting rotatable means, means mounting said first and second rotatable means for rotation about axes inclined at an obtuse angle with respect to each other and intersecting each other at a point located between generally axially confronting ends of said rotatable means which are disposed at a predetermined angle with respect to each other, said point of intersection further being located in a plane substantially bisecting said angle between said confronting ends, said first and second rotatable means including first opposing circumferential portions of said confronting ends disposed immediately adjacent each other and intersecting said plane and said second opposed circumferential portions of said confronting ends respectively diametrically opposite from said first portions spaced laterally from opposite sides of said plane, one of said rotatable means including a peripheral laterally outwardly facing annular surface flaring outwardly and inclined with respect to the axis of said one rotatable means, the other of said rotatable means including generally axially projecting annular flange means comprising an inwardly facing annular surface flaring outwardly and inclined with respect to the axis of said other of said rotatable means and overlapping said first mentioned annular surface in radially spaced substantially parallel relationship at said first opposing circumferential portions of said rotatable means, and series of cooperable bending elements circumferentially spaced on each of said rotatable means and disposed for projecting along and between and parallel to said surfaces for enabling the bending elements on said first opposing portions to move into and out of meshing relationship upon rotation of said rotatable means, and means for rotating said rotatable means in the same direction in predetermined timed relationship.

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said bending elements comprise a series of fixed teeth spaced around each of said rotatable means.

8. An apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said bending elements comprise a series of teeth spaced around and mounted for generally axial movement relative to each of said rotatable means.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said teeth are mounted for reciprocable movement.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 9 which includes fixed cam means for actuating said reciprocable teeth toward each other.

11. An apparatus as defined in claim 8 which includes cam means for actuating said movable teeth toward each other and means for adjusting said cam means to vary the length of movement of said teeth.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein each of said teeth is pivotally mounted on its respective rotatable means, and which apparatus includes means for pivoting the teeth in each series toward the teeth in the other series in timed relationship.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 42,377 Hugunin Apr. 19, 1864 333,323 Morgan Dec. 29, 1885 337,509 Laskey Mar. 9, 1886 1,501,064 Roesch July 15, 1924 1,546,944 Schiller July 21, 1925 2,160,020 Horton May 30, 1939 2,169,420 Jacobs Aug. 15, 1939 2,188,406 Horton Jan. 30, 1940 2,305,266 Lincoln et a1. Dec. 15, 1942 2,317,530 Holmes et al Apr. 27, 1943 2,643,688 Crooker June 30, 1953 2,645,930 Stockton July 21, 1953 

